Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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One of the great unheralded resources to us sports guys is the Sports Information Director.
Each team has one (or several). They usually come with different titles, but they are the liaisons between the media and the players/coaches. They are also fountains of knowledge.
The Jazz have their gaggle of uber-Jazz nerds, Linda Luchetti, Jonathan Rinehart, Derek Garduno and Hannah Lee... but I'm going to single out Derek Garduno because he sends me some incredible pregame info that I need to pass along.
And be sure to check out the video at the bottom. It is must see internet-TV.
STANDINGS
The Jazz is 27-13 (15-7 home, 12-6 road)
The Wizards are 11-27 (11-8 home, 0-19 road)
SERIES
Utah is 45-42 all-time against Washington with a 20-24 record on the road
Utah has won five of the last six games against the Wizards and two of the last three on the road
Utah's last loss in Washington D.C. came on 11/12/08 (95-87)
JAZZ NOTES
• The Jazz are 6-4 over the last 10 games
• Utah's bench leads the league in fewest points allowed with 24.1/game, but are third to last (27th) in points scored with 24.8 per game
• With 12 come-from-behind-victories from double digit deficits this season, much praise belongs to the Jazz second unit for stepping up the defensive pressure. Utah's bench has allowed a mere 25.1 points per game this season, the lowest in the NBA by any bench
• Seven times this season Utah has won a game in which it had trailed by 15-or-more points, which, less than halfway into the current season, is already the highest single-season total of wins of that type by any NBA team since the Jazz itself had eight such wins in the 2006-07 season
• With 26 points in Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Deron Williams has scored at least 10 points in 46 consecutive games (4/2/10-1/14/11), matching his previous record (12/29/07-4/4/08). Williams is five games away from Carlos Boozer's record of 51 games (12/19/09-4/9/10), the longest streak in the last five seasons
• Al Jefferson is currently averaging 2.0 blocks, the most by a Jazzman since the 2006-07 season when Andrei Kirilenko averaged 2.1. Jefferson's 2.0 average is also the highest by a Jazz center since the 1999-00 season when Greg Ostertag notched 2.1 blocks per game
• The Jazz is 17-1 when sixth man C.J. Miles scores 13 points or more
WIZARDS NOTES
• The Wizards are 4-6 over the last 10 games
• John Wall leads all Eastern Conference rookies in the month of January in scoring (13.6 ppg), assists (10.3 apg) and is tied for the lead in double-doubles with Detroit's Greg Monroe with four
• John Wall has missed his last eight three-point attempts
• Rashard Lewis is one rebound shy of 5,000 career rebounds
• Nick Young is averaging a career-high and team-high 16.2 points per game, he leads the Wizards with 17 games of 20 or more points this season (nine times off of the bench)
• Andray Blatche is currently averaging career-highs in points (16.1 ppg), rebounds (8.3 rpg) and free-throw percentage (.800), he has scored 20 or more points in 10 contests and has nine double-doubles
COMING UP NEXT
• The Jazz will play at New Jersey on Wednesday
• The Wizards play at Milwaukee on Wednesday Saturday
INJURIES
• None
• --------------------------------------------------------------
• Josh Howard - OUT (sore left knee)
PRONUNCIATIONS
• Andray Blatche………………………..ann-dray blatch
• JaVale McGee……………………………………….,Ja-Veil
• Hamady Ndiaye……………..HAH-muh-dee EN-jigh
• Kévin Seraphin……………….Keh-veen sare-AH-fun
• Yi Jianlian………………………….EE jee-ENN-lee-ENN
• --------------------------------------------------------------
• Kyrylo Fesenko……….….…….…Kuh-rill Feh-sink-o
• Andrei Kirilenko…….AHN-dray KEAR-ah-link-oh
• Mehmet Okur……..….………………..MEM-it O-cur
• Deron Williams……….………………….……..DARE-in
On a side note, check out and vote on the "UPS Guy" poll below. Garduno carries the trophy for "Best Jazz Pregame Open". Bring back the UPS guy!
